Best COMMUNITY?

Are you moving from out of Manhattan? What is your experience with city living?

Do a quick search for neighborhoods, maybe you'll find some existing threads, e.g. this one, I didn't go through it yet but there is a relevant headline http://streeteasy.com/talk/discussion/32173-mature-adult-discussion-about-neighborhoods?page=1

Moved from Westchester to the UWS 4 years ago.Love the area, but want a sense of connection.

Did you have connection in Westchester? Who do you want to connect to? Paint a picture for us, tell us more about you and your spouse.

IME the friendliest buildings are ones with a lot of shared amenities (so that neighbors have a chance to mingle). As far as neighborhoods, I think there's almost an inverse relationship between a strong community sense and convenience -- so the 'hoods that strike me as warmest don't strike me as central. You might want to look at Sutton Place, Sunnyside Gardens, the UES over by First Avenue (where I have a 2-BR, but it's under your price range) and Hudson Heights.

ali r.
{downtown broker}

front_porch is right. The friendliest building have a lot of shared amenities. OR when neighbors are rallying around a common cause and holding building wide meetings.

I lived on the West Side for 30 years and found it more difficult to meet neighbors as time went by and my children entered high school/college. Also, neighbors moved when they had empty nests.

I moved to the East Side to be closer to my friends from my church. I just started a social group at church for people over 40 (although most are over 50). We've had 2 events and the group is taking off dramatically because so many people feel disconnected from their neighbors, especially if they've moved from the suburbs. A number of other religious groups are seeing the need for social groups for older people not quite ready for geriatric groups.

Have you tried engaging in activities specifically related to the West Side, such as the Community Board and parks? You can become members of certain committees of the Community Board by attending a particular number of meetings in a row.

We recently moved to Park Slope, great neighborhood and community.

I cannot for the life of me figure out why anybody would want to talk to his neighbors. Or, worse, have his neighbors talk to him.

Electrified fences make good neighbors.

Regrettably, I can not agree with NYCMatt on his comments about neighbors and electric fences.